Apparatus for heating and agitating wells



May 26, 1936. E. c. HYDE, JR.. ET AL APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND AGITATINGWELLS Filed May 1, 1934 a. Rh x 0E0 0 2 w WW n m m Wfwfi T J 4 w p [J B3 A. U

Patented May 26, 1936 H NHTE SATES APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND AGITAT- INGWELLS Application May 1, 1934, Serial No..723,346

6 Claims.

Our invention relates to a method and apparatus for heating andagitating wells, particularly, oil wells, whereby the production thereofis materially increased.

signed for lowering into an oil well a suitable container or shellholding chemicals, which are adapted to react when brought into contactwith the Water of the well. The container or shell in which thechemicals are lowered into the well is constructed of a material whichis inert or unaffected by the chemicals and chemical reactions whichtake place therein, and is provided with means for circulating the waterof the well into the lower end of the apparatus and discharging theproducts of the reaction from the upper portion of the apparatus,preferably in the form of jets directed radially outward from theapparatus. By constructing the container of the apparatus of a materialwhich is inert to the reaction, the container may be used for moving thereacting mixture up ordown the well so as to locate the center of thereaction at any desired point in the well. Prior efiorts to clean wellsby the use of exothermic reacting chemicals have employed containerswhich entered into the reaction and so could not be employed for holdingthe reacting mixture in a predetermined position, except for a shortperiod of time.

Within the container or shell which is inert to the contained reactingmaterials, there are provided chemicals which are capable of reactiontogether upon contact with the water in the well, which chemicals areintended to clean or loosen the formations of the well or casing byutilization of one or a combination of the following efiects thereof.The reaction being exothermic", it liberates heat which raises thetemperature of the surrounding portions of the well, and the 0liberation of this heat acts to break down and melt different materials,such as wax or gum,

which may be clogging perforations of the casing of the well or cavitiesof crevices in the earth formation. It is estimated that a temperaturerise of as high as 200 F. may be secured, if deu The apparatus of thepresent invention is deinto some of the ingredients of the well hole,such as the gums or waxes, and thus decreases the viscosity or hardnessof such gums or waxes, so that upon again cooling the gum or Waxes itwill not solidify to plug or block either the perforations of the casingor difierent crevices of the ether formation back of the casing.

A further effect from the chemical reaction is the solvent efiect of thechemicals used on the different materials which are plugging or blockingor obstructing the flow of oil into the well hole or casing.

The chemicals employed within the apparatus consist of a metal, such asaluminum, which provides an exothermic reaction with an alkali, such assodium or potassium hydroxide. The alkali metal is preferably employedin the solid form, whereas the metal which is to react therewith ispreferably employed in the container in the form of a cylinder or tube.

The present invention, together with various additional objects andadvantages thereof, will best be understood from a description of thepreferred form or example of an apparatus embodying the invention. Forthis purpose, I have hereinafter described a preferred form or exampleof such apparatus, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view ofan apparatus containing a hydrate of an alkali metal, and a metal pipe.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2, of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3, of Figure l.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, our invention contemplatesan apparatus to introduce a hydrate of an alkali metal and a metal intoa well. The alkali and the metal react chemically in the presence ofwater, and large quantities.

of hydrogengas are liberated. Chemical reaction is exothermic, andtheheat of the reaction will melt the waxy or asphalt-like solids in thecasing perforations. The liberated hydrogen gas will agitate the fluids,in the well, and the apparatus itself is moved up and down in the wellto further agitate the well fluids. The heat:

ing and agitation willeifectively open the perforations in the casing sothat the production of holes 2| are provided adjacent the upper end ofthe pipe IS. A sub 22 screws into the top of the pipe l9. This sub isprovided with a central bore 23, and a plurality of ports 24 extendoutwardly from the central bore. A pin 25 on top of the sub permits theapparatus to be coupled to a wire line, socket or drill pipe.

A pipe 26 screws into the lower end of the bore 23, and this pipe may beof iron or of aluminum,

. holes 2i are plugged with grease or the like so that the tool can bedropped substantially to the bottom of the well before the chemicalreaction starts. When the bottom of the hole is reached, or a point atwhich it is desired to wash, the apparatus is rapidly moved up and down,and the grease is thus washed out of the holes 2 I. Water then entersthru the holes M, and the exothermic reaction occurs between the alkalimetal and the aluminum pipe 21. The liberated hydrogen gas passesupwardly thru the ports 28, then thru the pipe 26 into the bore 23 andout of the ports 24. The heat generated by the chemical reactionradiates outwardly from the apparatus, and the wax or asphalt in thecasing perforations is melted. The liberated hydrogen causes anagitation in the well, and the apparatus itself is constantly moved upand down' to further increase the agitation in the well fluids.

The apparatus thus described further provides a means by which theexothermic reaction can be made to take place opposite any desiredportion of the oil well. This follows because of the fact that the shellof the apparatus is composed of a material which is inert to thereaction and thus will remain undecomposed during the violent reactiontaking place, which may last in cases a number of hours. By positioningthe apparatus opposite the particular portion of the well to, be treatedor by slowly moving the apparatus throughout a portion of the well wheretreat-- vention, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the specific form shown, but includes all such modificationsand changes as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim: 1. An apparatus for heatingand agitating -wells, comprising a shell formed of a metal subwhichreacts exothermically with said hydratev of an alkali metal extendinginto the alkali metal, and gas outlet means at the upper end of saidpipe.

2. An apparatus for heating and agitating wells, comprising a shellformed of a metal sub-' stantially inert to the action of a hydrate ofan alkali metal, said shell being closed at the lower end thereof, saidshell having a plurality of holes adjacent the upper end thereof, ahydrate of an alkali metal in the lower end of such shell, a metallicpipe ofa metal which reacts exothermi cally with said hydrate of analkali metal suspended in the shell and extending into the alkali metal,and gas outlet means at the upper end of said pipe.

3. An apparatus for heating and agitating wells, comprising a shell,said shell being closed at the lower end thereof, said shell having aplurality of holes adjacent the upper end thereof,

a metallic pipe suspended in the shell and extending into the alkalimetal, a sub mounted on the upper end of the shell, said sub having acentral bore and a plurality of ports extending outwardly from the bore,said pipe extending into the bore whereby a gas outlet is provided.

4. An apparatus for heating and treating oil wells, comprising a shell,said shell containing substances which react exothermically upon theaddition of water, said shell being substantially inert to the action ofsaid substances, said shell having openings at its lower portion topermit entry of water to the interior thereof, said shell havingapertures in the upper portion to permit the release of gases andproducts generated from the reaction within the interior of said shell.

5. An apparatus for heating and treating oil Wells, comprising a shell,said shell containing an alkali and a metal which reacts exothermicallywith the alkali, said shell being substantially inert to the action ofsaid substances, said shell having openings at its lower portion topermit entry of the water in the interior thereof, said shell havingapertures in the upper portion to permit release of the gases andproducts generated from the reaction.

6. An apparatus for heating and treating oil wells, comprising a shell,said shell containing aluminum and solid sodium hydroxide, said shellbeing substantially inert to the contained substances and their productsof reaction, said shell having means for admitting water from the wellinto its lower portion, and means for discharging water and the productsof reaction from the upper portion of said shell.

' EDWARD C. HYDE, JR.

JACK C. RENFRO.

